Almost Infamous
by Becca Lavender
Summary: Long distance movie night for Dan and Blair.


**A/N: Thanks for the favorites and reviews of my other story, "Polite Conversation." This was my first Gossip Girl fic which has already been on Livejournal but thought I would migrate it over here. This was my first stab at Dan/Blair, so I hope the dialogue rings true. **

Dan popped in the Almost Famous disc with a smile. He knew he was going to get harassed for this movie being in his queue, but he was excited to watch it with her. He was almost more excited about her commentary about his movie selection.

His phone rang promptly at 2 pm (he had been haughtily told that she couldn't lose an entire day watching movies like trust fund wannabes summering in the Hamptons, so they had to watch when it was evening for her) and Blair's reaction to the movie did not disappoint. He picked up the phone, and mid-hello Blair huffed, "I can't believe I'm spending my evening watching a coming of age story about a teenage writer worshipping a grungy, unshowered rock band while simultaneously falling for a low-class groupie."

"So, how's the royal life going, Blair?" Dan smiled, purposefully ignoring her comment.

"Everything is spectacular, just as you'd imagine. However, I have had a long day and have an early start tomorrow, so I hardly have time for small talk. Not all of us are living a life of leisure this summer."

"Yes, I'm sure your royal obligations far exceed anything I could ever imagine. It must be tough managing all the handmaidens. Luckily, you already have vast experience in the art of bossing people around. You really have been spending your whole life training for this."

There was a brief pause, and Blair cleared her throat before saying, "Well, thank you for playing your part along the way."

"I thought you didn't have time for small talk. Are you ready to start the movie?"

"I suppose."

Dan figured that Blair must have been reasonably interested in the movie, because she watched with only minor interjections. Dan knew she was paying attention because she did manage to direct a few barbs his way to show she was still awake.

"Oh my god, Humphrey! I totally see why you relate to this movie! It's the story of your dad and Lily. The rock star and the groupie."

Dan cringed. He had actually managed to overlook that parallel, probably out of self-protection. "Don't remind me. Anyhow, this was the 70s, not the 90s. Things were much more hedonistic back then."

"Sure, whatever you say. I'm sure that your dad and Lily were totally chaste, lovechild aside."

"Stop, Blair. Please," Dan pleaded, though he was smiling the whole time.

"Grow up, Humphrey. Your dad is a sexual being. He has had lots of sex, much of it dirty rock tour sex with Lily."

"So, how did your mom and Cyrus first hook up? Do you think they slept together right off, or was it a slow build? I take it you're grown up enough to have discussed it."

There was a beat of silence, and Dan knew he had won that round. "Point taken. Shut up and let me watch the movie."

A few minutes later, Blair spoke again. "Seriously, what was it like growing up with a rock star for a dad? Did you grow up on a tour bus?"

"His band was pretty big when I was a kid, so his success didn't really register. We mostly stayed back with my mom when he was on tour. By the time I was cognizant of it, it was just embarrassing to my teenage self that he would do these small gigs that made him seem desperate and washed up," Dan told her, realizing he'd never really given the subject much thought. He also decided to not mention that he'd taken to writing song lyrics recently, finding it to be an easier medium to write about his emotions without tying them so directly to the traits of the individual. He could hear Blair calling him out for being so emo.

"Is that why you aren't into music, because your dad was embarrassing?"

Dan laughed lightly. "No, I'm just not a performer. I actually can play some guitar, by the way."

"Really? And you didn't take the opportunity to serenade Serena? I'm sure she would have swooned. Like mother, like daughter. It could have been a new family tradition, and by that I mean both your family and Serena's," Blair told him. Dan could practically hear her smirk through the phone.

"Thanks for that reminder of my messed up family tree. If you had married Chuck, what would that have made us?" Dan immediately wished he could take it back, not wanting to break the light mood with unhappy memories.

"I suppose it's a good thing it never happened. I'd hate to have Humphreys in my extended family. I'd probably have to sit through you and Rufus having jam sessions at family functions."

Dan smiled, relieved that his off-hand comment hadn't made things tense. "Let's get back to the movie," he suggested.

They continued to watch in companionable silence until Dan couldn't help himself with an interjection of his own. He knew it was a low blow, but he couldn't resist getting in a subtle dig at Chuck's expense. He knew better than to say what he really thought of Chuck, so he chose to pick his moments to remind her of Chuck's past misdeeds.

"Look, your life could be worse. Being traded for a hotel is definitely a step above being traded for a case of beer."

"Still too soon Humphrey," Blair said briskly.

As the movie ended, Dan wondered if Blair had nodded off. It had been 15 minutes since she'd last spoken.

"You still with me?"

"Yes. I was just thinking," Blair said, sounding a little distant.

"Care to elaborate? We've moved to the Q&A portion of our evening," Dan said lightly.

"I think I know why you wanted me to watch this movie," Blair said.

"Why is that?"

"You think I'm living in some fantasy world with Louis, just like the characters in the movie evade the real world through the tour," Blair said, the words spilling out quickly. "I'll have you know that what Louis and I have is very real."

Dan didn't know what to say. He did feel that Blair was caught up in a fantasy, but he also knew that his judgment was clouded with ulterior motives. Besides, that's not why he had been drawn to the movie.

"Blair, that was not my intention. Believe it or not, this movie was speaking to me because of my own issues, not because I was trying to send you a message."

"Oh. So what issues do you have, besides it being too hot to wear flannel in the summer?"

Dan sighed, not really sure how much to give away. "I'm just at a crossroads with my writing. I'm beginning to see how hard it is to observe the world around you and write about it while also maintaining your personal relationships."

"Aw, you're William, the teenage writer thrust into an enticing new world, wanting to be an impartial observer but getting sucked in regardless."

"Something like that. It just seems like what I write has gotten more personal, and I don't particularly want to share it with anyone. If I were to publish a novel that made the people around me look bad, I'd be more of an infamous author than a famous one. But if it's not intended to be shared with anyone, why bother writing?"

The line was silent for a few beats. Dan felt he had overshared, per usual. "I'm sure it's hard now that you don't have your muse to fawn over anymore. You're struggling because you're afraid of hurting Serena with your post-relationship analysis. If you need a new muse, I promise not to be hurt if you write about your friendship with a future princess. Feel free to tweak the narrative to one of unrequited love."

Dan decided he needed to change the tone of the conversation quickly. "I think I'll just settle for writing a puff piece about a lowly Brooklynite's experience at a royal wedding. Either that, or writing for Rolling Stone about how Lincoln Hawk made their amazing comeback playing at said royal wedding."

"In your dreams, Humphrey. Just be glad you're scoring the invite."

Dan smiled wistfully, the wedding a reminder that she going to be leaving New York for good very soon.

"So I don't get accused of depriving you of your beauty sleep, I'd probably better let you go. Plus, I need to get outside and work on my tan," Dan told her, suddenly feeling claustrophobic inside of the giant beach house.

"I'll leave you to your future melanoma. Same time next week?" Blair asked.

"Sounds good. Pick whatever girlie movie you like, seeing as how you humored me this week."

"It actually was pretty enjoyable, other than having to watch all the poorly dressed, long-haired grungy band members who are supposed to be some sort of sex symbols," Blair admitted grudgingly.

"Thanks. I look forward to watching your selection next week. Goodnight, Blair."

"Enjoy the rest of your afternoon, Humphrey."

Dan hung up the phone, and opened his Netflix queue, trying to guess which movie Blair would pick for next week.


End file.
